Glimmers
by Felicia
Summary: Post-Second David Job. So where does revenge leave Nathan Ford and the rest of the team? UPDATED
1. Chapter 1

Glimmers

By Felicia

Timeline: Post-Second David Job

Disclaimer: I am not affiliated with Dean Devlin or any of the actors or production staff. I write this out of pure love for the series.

Author's Note: This is my first fanfic for Leverage. This is also the first fanfic I have written in several years. However, as I was enjoying a mini-marathon of Leverage last night, something Dean Devlin mentioned in the writer's video blogs on TNT. tv struck me. As much as I tried to ignore it, it kept banging away until I put it down on paper. This is the result:

1/1

The face reflected in the mirror was familiar, but not the one he had grown accustomed to greeting every morning for the last few years. Older, paler, a little haggard, yes , but in this face's eyes glimmered a light that had been extinguished the day his only son had died.

The job was finished. His intervention completed in a completely non-traditional fashion but in a manner which brought closure to more than one aspect of his sorrows. Blackwell had been ruined. Sterling was put in his place. But most importantly, Maggie had absolved him of his self-inflicted culpability. Now if he could only forgive himself.

"I'm so sorry, Sam. Sorry that I wasn't able to provide what you needed when you needed it most," he whispered, watching the face watching him. The lips moved, but the light didn't dim. Every day prior to this, any semblance of happiness let alone contentment had faded when he uttered those words. But not today. Fascinated by the sight, he tried again.

"It was my fault that I couldn't get IYS to pay." The light still glimmered and the words that had been his mantra for so many years now sounded hollow. Illegitimate.

"I..." he began, intent on continuing the verbal flagellation, but the words he intended didn't form. Instead, he heard himself say, "IYS was responsible. And now they have paid that debt to you, my son, and to all the other children whose parents placed their faith in that insurance."

The face in the mirror smiled and the glimmer brightened to a full-fledged gleam. The reflection no longer looked older, paler or even a little haggard. Instead it was brighter, more confident and surprisingly peaceful.

He stared part dumbfounded part in awe of the change. Relief washed over him and he felt lighter than he had in years. His eyes caught on the clear bottle beside him. Its contents untouched but waiting to be sampled; his solace and self-prescribed anesthetic. Bile rose in the back of his throat as he recalled its effects, its taste. He looked once again to the reflection seeing the gleam and the smile that hovered about his lips. He lifted the bottle, its weight familiar to his hand and tipped the neck. The liquid sloshed along the sides.

His eyes returned to the reflection. With a new resolve he watched and heard himself say, "No more. I don't need this anymore." Nate raised the bottle to the reflection in a toast to new beginnings and poured the bourbon down the drain.

[fin]

As I mentioned before, it has been maaaanny years since I wrote fanfic. I would love to hear your thoughts. Please r/r.


	2. Chapter 2

Glimmers Part 2

Disclaimer: see previous post

Author's Note: I actually wasn't planning on continuing this story, but Elliot tapped on my shoulder and asked, "What do I think about this?" Not being one to disregard an idea, I give you part two. Again, please review if you're so inclined. Reviews are like chocolate; they make me smile and are oh-so yummy.

2/?

MC Hammer's former residence still echoed the slightest footfall which, from a defensive perspective, Elliot enjoyed, but it didn't speak much for the decor. However, over the last few days personal touches from each of the thieves had begun to surface in the cavernous entry: computer cables, weights, shoes, rappelling lines. Their mutual decision at the airport to disperse for good lasted all of three seconds. None of them cared who had turned back first; they were all merely glad that each one had. So they adjourned to the only place that reminded them of them.

Elliot glanced with interest at the collection of personal items as he tuned out Hardison and Parker's bickering about who made the better lift of Sterling's notices to the state officials. The computer cables were obviously some part of Hardison's techno renovation. Elliot's own weights lay in a corner awaiting a return to their rack upstairs. A pair of Manila Blankets -- or whatever the hell Sophie called those stilettos -- lay on their sides at the foot of the steps while black rappelling lines dropped from the third floor balcony. Yet, in spite of all these additions, there was something missing.

Elliot grabbed the Mt. Dew can on the foyer table and out of habit lifted it to his nose. It smelled citrusy. Curious, he set it down and continued to scan the room. No mini-bar bottles in the trash or behind a plant. No crystal decanters with a finger-width remaining in the bookcases. In fact he hadn't even seen a glass of anything but water in Nate's hand since the end of the David job.

Cracking a lopsided grin at the thought, he grabbed the dumbbells wincing slightly at the pull on his still healing ribs and trudged up the stairs. He reached the top intent on heading to his rooms when he heard a soft sigh. Turning right instead of left his eyes caught the two figures on the couch. Sophie sat curled into the corner with the latest Sotheby's auction catalog balanced on the armrest. With one hand she flipped through the pages, no doubt analyzing possible additions to her retirement plan, while the other gently combed through the hair on top of the head in her lap.

She glanced up at the muted sound of his boots on the floor and smiled warily still somewhat uncertain of where she exactly stood with him. She had stolen something priceless from him something that wasn't easily restored. He had accepted her apologetic sincerity but his trust was another matter entirely. For now, though, he nodded in greeting.

Her smile brightened just a bit and he read the glimmer of hope in her eyes. She too it seemed missed their former relationship: a strange combination of sibling, mentor, friend, and confidante. In response to that hope he offered softly, "He's not drinking."

She glanced down at the man in question, smiled fondly, and then returned, "No, he's not."

Elliot nodded and replied, "Good." He could have added, 'We deserve that much' or even 'It's about time,' yet the words remained unsaid. Instead he asked, "So where does that leave the team?"

"I don't know," she answered with a small shrug. Nate's sobriety was uncharted territory for the group. "I guess we'll find out."

"Yeah, guess so." He glanced once more at his sleeping boss then turned and headed to his original destination his own glimmer of optimism lurking in his eyes. Amy had called them a family not too long ago. Though he denied it at the time, the sting of Sophie's betrayal had revealed the wisdom in Amy's words.

"Family," he muttered over the continued bickering downstairs. Elliot shook his head as he pushed open the door and saw his housewarming gift: the complete suit of Japanese Samurai armor from the Edo period. He snorted, "We've got to be the strangest one on record."

[fin]


End file.
